Magnate

thumb|Jan Zamoyski, an important 16th-century Polish magnate

A magnate was a man from the higher nobility, a man who belonged to the high office-holders, or a man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or other qualities in Western Christian countries since the medieval period. It also includes the members of the higher clergy, such as bishops, archbishops and cardinals. In reference to the medieval, the term is often used to distinguish higher territorial landowners and warlords, such as counts, earls, dukes, and territorial-princes from the baronage. In Poland the szlachta (nobles) constituted one of the largest proportions of the population (around 10–12%) and 'magnat' refers to the richest nobles, or nobles of the nobility – even though they had equal voting rights in Poland's electoral monarchy.